Tractor



Nov. 8, 1932. R. o. HENDRlcKsoN TRACTOR Original Filed May 2, 1931 JNVENTOR. P05557 @HM/awww# ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT O. HENDRICXSON, F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO J'. I. CASE COMPANY, 0 1' RACINE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION s TRACTOR Uontinuation of application Serial No. 534,551, led May 2, 1931. This application led February 15, 1932.

Serial No. 593,052. i

In the operation of tractors in orchards and terrain where obstructions are frequently encountered, it is desirable to control .the direction of travel so that quick short turns of E the tractor may be made, as well as varying ranges of turning, to avoid trees, plants and obstacles, and it is my object to provide simple and effective means under convenient and instant control of the tractorman whereby lo' gradual and quick short turning may be ac- 'complished under the condltions stated, as will further hereinafter appear, my present application being a continuation of a plicationSerial No. 534,551 filed by me ay 2,

In the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, Figure 1 is a plan view `of a tractor, the range of movement of the steering wheel being indicated in dotted lines; Fig. 2,

go an enlarged fragmentary vplan showing the mechanism employed for my purpose; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of a brake and operating mechanisnrtherefor which I may employ.

In said drawing the numeral 5 indicates a g5 tractor body, 6 and 7 the driving wheels, and

8 the front or steering wheel, all of which parts may be of any conventional construction and arrangement. Driving gear of any desired arrangement may be employed such as the shaft 10 having a gear 11 engaging the differential comprisin as is common, the two independently rotata le 'gear sets 12, 13, the shaft 14 of which vcarries sprockets 16 connected to the rear axle sections 17 by chains 16 for driving the wheels 6 and 7, which is a common and well known construction. On each end of the differential gear sets 12 and 13 I mount spur gears 20 enclosed within the tractor body and each of which engages a brake-driving gear 21 mounted on the lower end of which, at 32, one end of a y brake-band 33 is secured and which substantially encircles the brake-wheel 26, its opposite end being connected at ,34 to the casing, as indicated in Fig. 3, said treadle being yieldingly controlled by the spring 35. The brake equipment described is installed at each side of the tractor, and as they are counterparts it is but necessary to describe one of said structures in detail. It will be further go' understood that theV body 5, Fig. 2, is provided with an opening 5 at each side through which the bearing 23 may be inserted, said openings being normally closed by remov` able covers (not shown), so that said brake g5 equipment when not forming part of a tractor as constructed originally may be subsequently readily installed as desired.

In operation, it willbe understood that the tractorman, as usual, steers the tractor by manipulating an ordinary steering rod (not shown), and when it isfdesired to make substantially long or quick and short turnsas,

for example, when turning about trees in an orchard, it is but necessary to depress the (5 treadle at that side of the tractor about which the opposite drive-wheel is to pivot, where# upon the brake-band 33 will increasingly grip the brake-wheel 26, thus gradually slowing down that side ofthe tractor supported by the wheel 6, for example, so that the actuating mechanisms on the opposite side will propel the tractor to turn aboutsaid pivot wheel the range of'such turning being controlled by the degree of pressure of the brake-bandv 33 on brake-wheel 26,and whenquick short turns are-required this will be accomplished by tightening the grip vof said band to such' extent that the brake-Wheel will `cease rotation and consequently the gears 21 and'20',` sprocket 16,5chain 16', and drive-wheel axle section 17j, will discontinue rotating. While thisaction is occurring the tractor, by turnfV ing the steering-wheel 8, will pivot about the drive-wheel rendered idle by the brake,- and make quick short turns.` It will therefore be understood that by manipulating the treadles ,j frequentlong and short `turns of the tractor in different directions can be made-at will, and

the turning ranges thereof governed by the depressions and' releases .of the. res ective dle wlierebysaid band maybeadjusted to contreadles for eontrollmg the differential sectrol the rotation of the brake-wheel and parts tions withwhich they are associated. By associated therewith.

providing a brake actuated from the Ainterior of the tractor and extending-outwardlyto be conveniently controlled by an opera-tor the v assemblageof a brake of a comparatively compact and effective character is available and which, as indicated, may be readily installed as an attachment to tractors in use as well 'as when originally constructed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tractor including' a differential and a shaft driven thereby a s ur-gear mounted f rake-wheel posion the differential sha t, a tioned exteriorly of the tractor, a casing enclosing the wheel, a shaft supporting the wheel and extending into :the tractor, a gear on the inner end of said shaft engaging the spurgear and driven thereby, a brake-band surrounding the brake-wheel, and a treadle on the casing to which the band is connected whereby the band may be adjusted to prevent actuation of the wheel and the rotatable parts associated therewith.

2. In a tractor, the combination, with a differential having a shaft, a spur-gear on the shaft, a'b/rake-wheel shaft mounted on the tractor, a gear on said latter shaft enga 'ng said spur-gear, said gears being positione interiorly of the tractor, a casing mounted exteriorly of the tractor .through which said brake-wheel shaft extends,` a brake-wheel on the latter shaft, a brake'engageable with said wheel, and means under control of an operator for a plying` and releasing said 'brake to control t e turning ofthe tractor.

3. In a tractor having an opening in its side, a unitary brake casing and sleeve-bearing insertible in the opening, means lfor r`- movably securing said unitary structure in position, a shaft mounted in the bea-ring and projecting beyond the inner and outer ends thereof,a gear on the inner end of the shaft, means for actuatin the gear to rotate the shaft, a brakewhee on'the outer end of the shaft and enclosed in said casing, and means for controlling the brake-wheel whereby the rotation of said gear and parts associated therewith may be stopped and resumed.

4. In a tractor having an opening in its body, a sleeve insertible in said opening, a casing associated'with the sleeve and positioned exteriorly of the body said casing` having a removable closure, means for securing the casing to the body, a shaft mounted in the sleeve and projecting beyond the inner and outer ends In te'stimom whereof I aiir m signature.

ROB RT O. HENDR CKSON. 

